Malaysia Crime Watch

3 December 2008
Johor Baru

A Rela member was among 11 suspects who were arrested last week as part of an armed gang which robbed, injured and raped their victims. The suspects, aged between 25 and 35 years, were nabbed from various locations in Skudai and Tampoi.

Police first arrested a man in Taman Seri Orkid and found saws, parang, duplicated keys of luxury cars and false road tax discs. The other 10 suspects, including two women, were arrested later. Police believe that the Rela member is the mastermind of the gang.

In total, police seized RM500,000 worth of stolen goods including jewellery, motorcycles, a LCD television, mobile phones, cash and a revolver with six bullets. The gang even purchased a BMW vehicle using funds from pawned stolen items.

It is believed that the gang used its women to fool victims into thinking that they were handing out wedding invitations. When the victims let the women in, the rest of the robbers would barge in and hurt the victims with knives. In some cases, the victims were raped. Some victims were doing house chores while the suspects broke into their houses.

The gang is responsible for at least 39 robberies. Police said they will be making arrests on more gang members.

New Straits Times Online – Wedding invitation robbery gang busted
<URL:http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/National/2418392/Article/index_html>

Technorati Tags: malaysia crime, malaysia, crime, johor baru, robbery, armed robbery, rape, rela

2 December 2008
George Town

One of the largest heroin laboratories in Malaysia has been busted in Sungai Nibong on Sunday with police seizing RM6.4 million worth of drugs.

Police arrested a woman in her 40s after her 45-year-old husband was nabbed while he was sending 16.5kg of heroin and 1kg of ketamine worth RM915,000 in the south. Authorities also seized a pistol, 9.1kg of heroin base, 6.4kg of heroin, 700gm of ganja, 9.3kg of ketamine and 513kg of caffeine from house that contained the drug lab.

The next day, police found three more pistols and 64 rounds of ammunition in Bukit Jambul and Jelutong. They also froze RM200,000 from the woman’s bank accounts, along with a Toyota Altis vehicle and jewellery believed to have been bought using the sales of drugs.

Police have classified the case as drug trafficking and firearm possession under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act and Section 8 of the Firearms Act (Increased Penalties).

The Star Online – Police seize RM6.4m worth of drugs in Penang
<URL:http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/12/2/nation/20081202151826&sec=nation>

Technorati Tags: malaysia crime, malaysia, crime, george town, drug, drug trafficking, firearm possession, sungai nibong, drug lab, heroin, ketamine, ganja, caffeine, bukit jambul, jelutong

1 December 2008
Kuala Lumpur

Bukit Aman CID director Datuk Mohd Bakri Zinin has blamed the global economic crisis as of one of reasons for the recent increase in the national crime index.

So far this year Malaysia has seen the number of armed robbery cases rising by 14,143 cases, compared to 17,834 cases last year. Bakri said that the 1.75 per cent increase in cases reported up till October is still considered low in the region. This represents an additional 5,687 cases to 177,141 cases reported.

Property break-ins have increased by 2,732 cases from 19,299 and car thefts increased by 2,534 cases from 10,290 cases compared to 2007. Murder cases were up 538 from 489 cases, while rape cases shot up to 2,943 compared to 2,710 cases last year.

The crime case to population ratio stands at 772 to 100,000, making Malaysia a comparatively safe place to live in, said Bakri. Singapore had 704 cases, Hong Kong 1,166 cases, Japan 1,569 and Australia 4,470 cases, per 100,000 residents.

Bakri also noted that foreigners added to the statistics and were more prone to commit violet crimes that involved brutal killing of victims.

New Straits Times Online – Gang robberies up by 14,143
<URL:http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/National/2416365/Article/index_html>

Technorati Tags: malaysia crime, malaysia, crime, kuala lumpur, bukit aman, cid director, bakri zinin, crime index, crime statistics